Colonel Chris VanFosson is the commander of Ireland Army Health Clinic at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He most recently served as the Nurse Consultant and Assistant Chief of Staff for Integration at the 18th Theater Medical Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. In this role, he supervised teams responsible for force health protection, clinical services, and civil affairs in support of U.S. Army Pacific’s strategic competition with the People’s Liberation Army across the Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.

COL VanFosson was commissioned in 2001 after graduating from the University of Iowa College of Nursing, where he began his military service as a Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from The University of Texas at Austin.

His clinical assignments have included roles at: Womack Army Medical Center (medical/surgical); Brooke Army Medical Center (trauma/critical care); U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (burn/critical care).

His leadership assignments include: Region Officer in Charge, U.S. Army Recruiting Command; Head Nurse, Combined Ward, General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital; Chief Nurse, 541st Forward Surgical Team (Airborne); Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge, Burn Ward; Chief, Clinical Research, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research; Chief, Center for Nursing Science and Clinical Inquiry; Deputy Commander for Inpatient Services; Chief Nursing Officer, Brooke Army Medical Center.

COL VanFosson has 24 months of operational deployment experience. He served with the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Iraq (2003–2004) and with the 541st Forward Surgical Team (Airborne) in Afghanistan (2010–2011).

He currently serves as the Consultant to the Surgeon General of the Army for Critical Care Nursing. He has also served as the active-duty Army representative to the TriService Nursing Research Program Strategic Advisory
Council and as one of two U.S. military representatives on a NATO working group exploring the use of artificial intelligence on the battlefield.

COL VanFosson has authored or co-authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and three book chapters. He serves on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Nursing and the Journal of Special Operations Medicine and is a reviewer for several professional journals.

Military Education
U.S. Army Airborne School; Army Medical Department Officer Basic Career Course; Aviation Survival Training; Medical Management of Chemical/Biological Casualties; Medical Effects of Ionizing Radiation Course; Combat Casualty Care Course; Army Nurse Corps Critical Care Course; Healthcare Recruiter’s Course; Joint En Route Care Course; Joint Forces Combat Trauma Management Course; Tactical Combat Medical Care; Command and General Staff College (resident); Joint Planner’s Course; Joint Fires Course; Medical Stability Operations Course; Executive Nurse Leaders Course; Casualty Notification and Assistance Officer Course; National War College (resident).

Awards
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4 awards), Army Commendation Medal (5 awards), Army Achievement Medal (2 awards), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal (2 stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NATO ISAF Medal, Parachutist Badge, and Recruiter’s Badge (Gold). COL VanFosson is a proud member of the Order of Military Medical Merit and holds The Surgeon General of the Army 9A proficiency designator.

Personal
COL VanFosson is married to his college sweetheart, Kelly. They have four adult children: Tyler, Dylan, Haley, and Holly.